Volume 27 Number 9
October 2015
~ Pope Francis
Diocese of Norwich Pilgrimage to Philadelphia Witnessed History. See story on page 16
Made Possible in part through your generous support of the Annual Catholic Appeal
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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Bloom where you are planted. - Seminarian Frank Gilbert reflecting on words of wisdom passed along to him that have sharpened his sense of gratitude to be studying for the priesthood in his own home diocese.
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- Dedicated teacher Sister Mary Cabrini, S.C.M.C., Sacred Heart School in Taftville, ready and energized after 30 years of teaching to welcome a new school year and new children to help. A recollection shared at the 20th Annual Educators’ Mass as chronicled by Shelly Wolf
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Even though he was sitting on the other side of the Fiat, he raised his arm and waved toward us.
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- New London WFSB Bureau Chief Kevin Hogan relaying the excitement of connecting with Pope Francis even among huge cheering crowds.
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Together we pray for all men and women in the legal profession, judiciary, and public life, asking that they be blessed with wisdom and understanding.
Pope Francis reaching out to the crowds who came to see him, and speaking out throughout his visit to America on behalf of the sacred union of the family. This photo taken on route to the Festival of Families in Philadelphia.
Volum e 27
Numbe r9
Octob er 201 5
~ Pope
Mad e Pos sibl
e in par t thr oug
h you r
Dioces e of Norw Pilgr ich imag e Witn Philadelphto essed ia See stor History. y on pag e 16 genero us
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- Sentiment shared by those gathered at the 25th Annual Red Mass.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
The Most Reverend
Michael R. Cote, D.D.
Bishop of Norwich
“Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive” My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: As anticipated, history unfolded in a dramatic and unforgettable way as His Holiness, Pope Francis made his first visit ever to the United States just a week ago. Somehow, the humility of this missionary Pope and the overwhelming celebrity reception he received in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia didn’t seem a contradiction. Not at all. Pope Francis, we know, is the world’s foremost missionary of hope and mercy. His enthusiastic reception demonstrated how much his message to “look out for one another” is respected and taken to heart everywhere he travels. We have been blessed by his presence. The media analysts naturally have been quite busy trying to interpret the Holy Father’s words in expectedly political terms. He gave us all so much to think about. It’s going to take more than a week to process the full measure of his message. We will all apply ourselves to that challenge as we go forward. As we do, I would, however, like to redirect the spotlight for the moment from the political and ideological to the original intention of Pope Francis’ visit. The original purpose was to attend the World
Meeting of Families in Philadel- ful community. Hope, dignity, Love is the force that builds and phia. Once committed to that purpose and achievement spring sustains the family. It is love that event, Pope Francis generously ex- from strong families in any society. endures, deepens and satisfies the panded his trip to include adPope Francis expressed the pri- human heart over a lifetime. It is dresses to Congress and the United ority of family in these inspiring all about giving; about sacrifice; Nations. To some extent, his ac- terms, “We are called to acknowl- and not about taking. This is the knowledgement of the importance edge how beautiful, true and good DNA of a Christian family. of the family has In today’s unbeen slightly oversettled world, as I pray that our days of shadowed by the represented by fullness of his sixfamilies from over prayer and reflection on day itinerary. one hundred The Holy Fathe importance of the family countries at the ther during the World Meeting of for a healthy society will course of his visit, Families, there are reminded us that so many trials and inspire families to continue stable marriages difficulties ento strive for holiness and and families help countered by marto overcome ried couples. The to see the Church as their poverty; and in most important turn, poverty link to keep alive constant companion, works to underis the link with whatever the challenges mine the stability God, which is the of the family. connection they may face. Pope Francis central Clearly, there is a of the sacramental profound connecmarriage bond. tion between healthy families and it is to start a family, to be a family Within such a marriage, the value social wellbeing. When Pope Fran- today; and how indispensable the of prayer and the virtues of fidelity, cis speaks of the plight of the poor, family is for the life of the world mercy and forgiveness all tie tothere is an imbedded message in and for the future of humanity.” gether and tie to the foundational support of strong faith-centered Just as he connects the struggle of principles that form the core mesfamilies. Where society begins to the poor to the foundational sup- sage of Pope Francis. Together, unravel into violence and injustice port of strong families, Pope Fran- these virtues help lift the poor and is where there has been widespread cis also tightly connects the essence vulnerable. “The family”, St. John deterioration of the family. The of God’s love for us as inherent Paul II often said, “is the place family is the cornerstone of a hope- within a strong healthy family. where the value of community is
learned, forming the basis for communion in society. In this way, marriages and families that strive to love in unity and fidelity offer a vital witness in their homes, neighborhoods, parishes, local communities, and wherever they go, whether in service, work or play.” The challenges of family life today require support. For families to flourish, it is vital to have what Pope Francis calls “families within families,” namely parishes. Families need community; they need their local parish; and need the support of diocesan ministries and schools to flourish. I join with you in commending the hard and insightful work of the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family and Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia as the host of the World Meeting of Families and, of course, the Holy Father for joining with all present to remind the world of the universal building block of a stable and caring society – the family. Congratulations, too, for creating such a memorable theme, “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive” Sincerely yours in Christ’s love, Bishop Michael R. Cote
“El Amor es Nuestra Misión: La Familia Plenamente Viva” Queridos Hermanos y Hermanas: Como se preveía, la historia se desarrolló de una manera dramática e inolvidable cuando Su Santidad, el Papa Francisco hizo su primera visita a los Estados Unidos hace apenas una semana. De alguna manera, la humildad de este Papa misionero y la abrumadora recepción que recibió de celebridades en Washington, DC, Nueva York y Filadelfia no parecía una
contradicción. De ningún modo. El Papa Francisco, sabemos es el principal misionero de esperanza y misericordia más importante del mundo. Su entusiasta recepción eléctrica demostró lo mucho que su mensaje de “mirar hacia fuera por los otros” es respetado y tomado en serio por todos lados que viaja. Hemos sido bendecidos por su presencia. Los analistas de los medios de
comunicación naturalmente han estado muy ocupados tratando de interpretar las palabras del Santo Padre en términos fundamentalmente políticos como era de esperar. Él nos dio mucho para pensar. Va a tomar más de una semana para procesar la completa medida de su mensaje. A medida que avanzamos vamos a dedicarnos en todos los sentidos a ese desafío.
Al hacerlo, sin embargo, me gustaría, redirigir la atención de lo político e ideológico para centrar en la intención original de la visita del Papa Francisco. El propósito original era asistir al Encuentro Mundial de las Familias en Filadelfia. Una vez cometido a este evento, el Papa Francisco generosamente amplió su viaje para incluir discursos al Congreso y a las Naciones Unidas. Hasta cierto punto,
su reconocimiento de la importancia de la familia se vio ligeramente ensombrecido en la plenitud de su itinerario de seis días El Santo Padre durante el transcurso de su visita, nos recordó que los matrimonios y las familias estables ayudan a superar la pobreza; y a su vez, la pobreza trabaja para quebrantar la estabilidad de la faEl Amor es Nuestra Misión
Continued on page 4
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Four County Catholic October 2015
El Amor es Nuestra Misión Continued from page 3 milia. Claramente, existe una profunda conexión entre las familias saludables y el bienestar social. Cuando el Papa Francisco habla de la difícil situación de los pobres, hay un mensaje incrustado en apoyo de las familias fuertes centradas en la fe. Donde la sociedad comienza a desmoronarse en violencia e injusticia es donde se ha producido un deterioro general-
izado de la familia. La familia es la piedra angular de una comunidad de esperanza. La esperanza, la dignidad, el propósito y el éxito en cualquier sociedad brotan de familias fuertes. El Papa Francisco expresó la prioridad de la familia en estos inspiradores términos, “Estamos llamados a reconocer lo bello, lo verdadero y lo bueno que es el for-
mar una familia, ser una familia de En el mundo incierto de hoy, hoy; y lo indispensable que la fa- representado por las familias de milia es para la vida del mundo y cien países en la Reunión Mundial, para el futuro de la humanidad”. hay tantas pruebas y dificultades Justo cuando conecta la lucha de encontradas por las parejas casadas. los pobres con el fundamental El vínculo más importante para apoyo de las familias fuertes, el mantener vivo es el vínculo con Papa FranDios, que cisco tam- Rezo para que nuestros días es la conexb i é n de oración y reflexión sobre ión central conecta la la importancia de la familia del vínculo esencia del para una sociedad sana inspire matrimoamor de a las familias a seguir nial sacraDios por luchando por la santidad y a mental. nosotros Dentro de ver la iglesia como su conHoly Mass, Benediction, Spoken Love como inese matriScripture, the Healing Ministry h e r e n t e stante compañía, cualesquiera monio, el dentro de que sean las dificultades que valor de la Sunday, Nov. 15 Papa Francisco oración y una familia puedan enfrentar NEW LOCATION: fuerte y las virtudes saludable. El amor es la fuerza que de la fidelidad, la misericordia y el Maironis Park, Shrewsbury, MA construye y sostiene la familia. Es perdón todo junto atan a los prinCost $50 (includes $10 ticket) Children, Teenagers & Nun’s welcome as our guest el amor que perdura, profundiza y cipios fundamentales que forman Bus Departs 9:00 AM Old Mystic Village; satisface el corazón humano du- el mensaje central del Papa FranNew London Shopping Center; I-395 Commuter Parking Lots; rante toda la vida. Se trata de dar; cisco. En conjunto, esas virtudes Exit 80W, Norwich; Exit 89, Moosup de sacrificio; y no se trata de tomar. ayudan a levantar a los pobres y a JANET PRZYBYSZ 860-536-6638 Este es el ADN de una familia cris- los vulnerables. “La familia”, San przybyszjanet@sbcglobal.net tiana. Juan Pablo II a menudo decía, “es el lugar donde se aprende el valor de la comunidad, que constituye la base para la comunión en la sociedad. De esta manera, los matrimonios y las familias que se esfuerzan por amar en unidad y fiThe Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, leads the Holy Hour: delidad ofrecen un vital testigo en
Father Ralph DiOrio
Holy Hour for Vocations
sus hogares, barrios, parroquias, comunidades locales, y donde quiera que vayan ya sea en el servicio, trabajo o diversión”. Los desafíos de la vida familiar hoy en día requieren apoyo. Para que las familias prosperen, es vital contar con lo que el Papa Francisco llama a saber, “familias dentro de las familias”, las parroquias. Para florecer las familias necesitan de la comunidad, necesitan su parroquia local; y necesitan el apoyo de los ministerios diocesanos y escuelas. Me uno a ustedes en elogiar el arduo y profundo trabajo del Consejo Pontificio de la Santa Sede para la familia y al arzobispo Charles J. Chaput de Filadelfia como el anfitrión del Encuentro Mundial de la Familias, y por supuesto, al Santo Padre por reunirse con todos los presentes para recordar al mundo a la familiabloque de construcción universal de una sociedad estable y cuidadosa. Felicidades también por la creación de un tema tan memorable. “El amor es Nuestra Misión: La Familia Plenamente Viva”. Atentamente en el amor de Cristo, Obispo Michael R. Cote Translated by Paulina Angulo
Father Greg Galvin, Director of Priestly Vocations vocations@norwichdiocese.net
(860) 887-9294
www.God-Calls.com
Juan Aguirre 4th Year Theology English Studies St. Mary Seminary Baltimore MD
Frank Gilbert 2nd Year Theology Pope Saint John XXIII National Seminary Weston, MA
Michael Bovino 2nd Year Philosophy Mt. St. Mary Seminary Emmitsburg, MD
October 15, 2015 • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Saint Paul, Waterford
The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, has made the following clergy appointments in the Diocese of Norwich:
November 19, 2015 • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Notre Dame, Durham
Clergy Appointments
Deacon Ron Blank 2nd Year Theology Pope Saint John XXIII National Seminary Weston, MA
Jeffrey Ellis 4th Year Theology Mt. St. Mary Seminary Emmitsburg, MD
Peter Langevin 4th Year Theology Mt. St. Mary Seminary Emmitsburg, MD
Thomas Griffin 4th Year Theology Blessed John XXIII National Seminary Weston, MA
Very Reverend Gregory Galvin, from Diocesan Director of Vocations with Residence at Saint Thomas Aquinas, Storrs, to Pastor, St. Bridget of Kildare Parish, Moodus, and Dean of the Old Saybrook Deanery, while continuing as Diocesan Director of Vocations. Effective: September 15, 2015. ~ Monsignor Robert L. Brown, Chancellor ~
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Director of Priestly Vocations
Father Gregory Galvin Over the months ahead, we will try to introduce you to some of our newer seminarians through their personal reflections and stories of their journey to the priesthood. It has been an exciting time, especially with the visit of Pope Francis to America. I am very pleased to introduce the following reflections by seminarian Frank Gilbert, a native son of the diocese and one of eleven children. Father Greg I thank largely Bishop Cote, Father Greg Galvin, and the many priests who assisted me in my journey to seminary. Every day I pray this is God’s will to be here. Also, in humble gratitude, I thank many diocesan brothers and sisters for their countless hours of prayer, cards, and encouraging words. I thank my family, my Carmelite, Millstone, Scouting and Parish families, and of course, my Knights of Columbus brothers. I was born into a wonderful family of nine brothers and one lovely sister. My faith-filled mother had three sets of twins. I was of the oldest set. I attended St. Mary’s Grammar school in Portland and Xavier High School. Later, I graduated from S.U.N.Y. Maritime College and sailed as an engineering officer on merchant ships. Afterwards, I worked at Millstone power plant. My recreational activities are camping and hiking with my son, Justin. I’ve had my hand serving the Lord in various ministries. I’ve always had that ‘tug of heart’ to serve the Lord in a more full way.
Through spiritual discernment, a Capuchin priest, Fr. Ephrem used to tell me: “bloom where you are planted!” So here I am studying for priesthood for my home diocese. Most days now, I’m likely found in Pope Saint John XXIII National Seminary, Weston, Ma. in one of these three locations: chapel, classroom or the library. A seminarian friend calls me the ‘mayor of the library!’ Truly, the challenges are many. This seminary is known for ‘delayed vocations.’ Pope Saint John XXIII known as the ‘Good Pope,’ believed that men in their mature age have much to offer the Church. Cardinal Cushing of the Archdiocese of Boston also believed this. Recently, we just celebrated our 50 years of existence. Miraculously, our patron, Pope John XXIII became a recognized saint of the church this year! I enjoy living in community with my seminarian friends. Father Palardy our rector, together
with his competent staff assist us forward toward ordination in a myriad of ways. Our challenging areas of development are many. Academia is one area, we grow by knowledge in such subjects as: homiletics, Church history, Scripture, pastoral and moral theology… the list goes on. Our spiritual life also needs to be enhanced in order to move us towards a priestly identity. Human formation is very important as well. Are we able to form solid working and communal relationships? Are we growing in charity and service towards others? One point of my serious reflection occurred about 3 years ago. I was attending a Mass outside the diocese, the Church was packed. This is good isn’t it? I noticed the processional line did not have a priest. The deacon processed down the aisle and reverenced the altar. He then stood up and stated: we can participate in the Liturgy of the Word but we have no priest
for the Liturgy of the Eucharist! An elderly priest then stepped out of a pew and quietly announced to the congregation, he would celebrate the Mass. He vested and the Mass was beautiful and inspiring as all Masses are. This experience left a lasting impression with me. Thank God for his charity. I thought, perhaps this is something I can do by God’s grace for the people of God. We shared in the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus
and in Him we have our being, and through Him our salvation is provided. What greater reason can we live for? The priesthood is essential for the Catholic way of life; participation in the Holy Sacraments assists us in strengthening the true faith of the faithful. Please pray for me and all seminarians as we endeavor to do God’s will for the salvation of all souls. Meanwhile, be assured of our constant prayers for all of you, your families, and loved ones. Seminarian Frank Gilbert
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Prayer, Praise & Worship Every Tuesday evening at 6:30pm. Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich. For more information please call 860-887-0702. Saturday, October 10 A Day with Scott Hahn Scott Hahn, a professor of Biblical Theology and a Catholic convert, will speak about “Evangelizing Catholics: The Bible, The Eucharist and the New Evangelization.” The Healing Power of Confession and Angels and Saints” From 9:30am – 3:30pm. Saint Patrick Cathedral, 213 Broadway, Norwich. For more information and tickets, please call Karen at 860-303-0513. Thursday, October 15 Holy Hour for Vocations The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, leads the Holy Hour from 6-7pm at St. Paul, Waterford. For more information contact Father Greg Galvin, Director of Priestly Vocations at vocations@norwichdiocese.net or 860-887-9294. www.GodCalls.com. Saturday, October 17 23rd Annual Firefighters Mass The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, will host and celebrate the 23rd Annual Firefighters/EMS Mass that will take place at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, at 5pm. Deacon Wayne Sandford will be the homilist. At 3pm. those who are able will gather at Chelsea Parade to process down Broadway with fire and EMS apparatus. Reception to follow in Cathedral Hall – all are invited to attend. Saturday, October 17 Workshop for Ministry to the Sick Workshop for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Who Bring Communion to the Sick in their homes, in hospitals and nursing homes. From 9Noon at Saint Patrick Parish, 47 W. High Street East Hampton. $20 for materials and ritual book. Presenters are
Four County Catholic October 2015
Deacon Peter Gill, St. Colman Parish, Middlefield and Notre Dame Parish, Durham Sister Elissa Rinere, CP. Office of Worship.
needed. Pre-registration is required. For more information, please contact Sheree Antoch, at 860-848-2237 ext. 211 or prison@norwichdiocese.net.
Saturdays, Oct. 17, 31, Nov. 7, 14 Prison Ministry: Gift of Grace Office for Prison Ministry is offering a training program, called “Gift of Grace”, for adults interested in serving the spiritual needs of prisoners in correctional institutions of Eastern CT. Prison Ministry trains volunteers for scripture study and sharing, sacramental preparation, prayer groups, religious education, retreat days, small Christian communities, and music for liturgies. Volunteers bi-lingual in Spanish and English are especially
Sunday, October 18 Daughters of God Concert The concert will feature the group “Daughters of God”, which includes cantors from the church, along with instrumentalists and other talented performers from the community. The concert begins at 3pm at The Church of the Holy Family, 185 Church St, Hebron. $10 per person with seniors and children free of charge. Proceeds from this concert would go towards the purchase of a new projection screen for the church. The CD, entitled “Enter the Song”, will also be available for $15. If you have any questions, contact Nicole Bernier at 860-228-8367.
Sunday, October 18
Silver & Gold Jubilee Anniversary Mass A Mass celebrating Silver and Golden Wedding Anniversaries will be celebrated at 2pm in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, 213 Broadway, Norwich. All couples celebrating significant wedding anniversaries are invited to participate and to renew their marriage vows at the Pontifical Mass celebrated by Bishop Cote. Register through your parish or on the Diocesan website or e-mailworship@norwichdiocese.net. For information, call the Chancery at 860-887-9294.
Wednesdays, October 21-December 2 Seven Week Life in the Spirit Seminar To help you develop or deepen a “personal relationship with Jesus.” Offered twice daily from Wednesday, October 21st to Wednesday December 2nd, from 2-4pm and again at 7-9pm each day. For more information please call Spiritual Renewal at 860-887-0702. Thursday, October 22 Circle of Love Prayer Group Mass Saint John Chapel, Middletown, at 7pm. For more information please call Spiritual Renewal at 860-887-0702. Saturday, October 24 Christmas Bazaar/Tag/Bake Sale Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 63 Old Norwich Road, Quaker Hill. From 92pm. Fresh babka and cinnamon breads, baked goods, household goods, jewelry, books, children’s toys, games, knitted items, lunch and more! Saturday, October 24 8th Annual Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference Goodwin College, 1 Riverside Dr., East Hartford. From 8-5pm. Our Theme is
“Family Man” Get ready for a relaxed day. Experience the camaraderie of your fellow Catholic men. We have adoration and confession available all day, and a band named, “Jerusalem Road”. The master of ceremonies is Father John Gatzak, Director of the Office of Radio & Television of the Archdiocese of Hartford & General Manager of WJMJ Radio. The keynote address is given by prolific author & radio host, Patrick Madrid. Ticket cost is $40 per person which includes lunch and parking is free. For more information go to: www.ctcatholicmen.org or call 860-484-7950. Saturday, October 24 Unbound Conference – Freedom in Jesus 9-5pm at Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich. Must call to register – Limited attendance. Fr. Ray Introvigne, Mrs. Judith Hughes and team. For more information please call 860 887-0702. Saturday, October 24 Workshop for New Lectors & Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion The workshop will cover the Diocesan Guidelines for these ministries and all requirements contained in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. From 9:30am – 12:30pm at St. Joseph Parish Hall, 99 Jackson Street, Willimantic. Saturday, October 24 Confirmation: All Saints, Somersville & St. Joseph, Rockville Join the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich at 10:30am at Saint John Parish, Cromwell. Monday, October 26 Faith, Reason and Genomics: Preambles for the Dialogue Between Evolution and Creation St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, Storrs, presents Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., Ph.D., S.T.D, Associate Professor of Biology at Providence College, at 7:30pm in the Aquinas Student Center, 46
Wednesday, Nov. 4
Television Mass At 10:00am Channel 20 WTXX, Charter Channel 11 WCCT, Comcast. Celebrant is Father Greg Galvin. North Eagleville Road on the UConn Storrs campus. Admission is free. Fr. Austriaco will explore what in the 1998 encyclical Fides et Ratio, Pope St. John Paul II likened to “two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth,” and recent insight into evolution from contemporary research in genomics. In exploring the dynamic interplay between faith and reason, Fr. Austriaco will address not only why God chose to create through evolution, but also how that process continues and for what end God created human beings through evolution. Monday, October 26 Healing Mass 2pm at Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich. With personal prayer ministry. For more information please call 860 -887-0702. Tuesday, October 27, 2015 Evening of Reflection The NCCCW cordially invites all women to an evening of reflection at St. John the Evangelist hall, 22 Maple Avenue, Montville. Buffet dinner at 6pm. Sr. Elissa Rinere will be our guest
23rd Annual
Firefighters/EMS Mass All Firefighters, EMS Personnel, their families and parishioners are invited to attend.
Saturday, October 17, 2015 3:00 P.M. Assembly & Procession • 5:00 P.M. Mass Cathedral of Saint Patrick • 213 Broadway, Norwich, CT
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Four County Catholic October 2015
speaker, the topic is on the Apparitions of Mary. Please bring canned meat, tuna fish and soup. Items will be given to St. Vincent DePaul Place, Norwich. $15.00 per person. Checks payable to Norwich District CCW and mail to: Mrs. Viola Mulcahy, 24 Teecomwas Drive, Uncasville, CT 06382. For more information call Helen Connell, 860-848-8998. Sunday, November 1 All Saints Day Sunday, November 1 6th Annual Seton Scholarship Dinner Recipients of the 2015 Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D. Award for Contributions to Catholic Education in the Diocese of Norwich: Brother Lawrence Harvey, CFX, Sister Mary A. McCarthy, RSM and Mrs. Kathleen R. Clancy, will be honored. From 4– 8pm at the Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station, 55 Bridge Rd, Haddam, CT. For more information please contact Kathy Gaito at 860886-1928 or kgaito@norwichdiocese.net Tuesday, November 3 Confirmation: St. James, Danielson & Our Lady of LaSalette, Brooklyn Join Monsignor Leszek T. Janik, at 7pm at St. James, Danielson. Friday & Saturday, November 6 & 7 Olde Tyme Christmas Fair St. Andrew Church will sponsor their annual Olde Tyme Christmas Fair on Friday, from 4-8pm., and Saturday from 9-2pm at St. Andrew Parish Hall, 128 Norwich Avenue, Colchester. Booths include a bake shop, baskets galore, country store, crafters, and special gifts of Christmas, kids’ corner, and mini tea cup auction. Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be there. Free door prize. On Friday, a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, dessert and drink will be served starting at 4pm for seniors, and 5pm for the general public. The cost of the dinner is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $4 for children 3-10 years old, and under 3 is free. For questions, please call 860-537-2355. Friday & Saturday, November 6 & 7 Annual Christmas Bazzar at St. Luke’s Church Friday 5-8pm & Saturday 9am-2pm. Children’s activities include professional face painting, kid’s crafts and magician. New this year is the tool box, teen table and mug gifts. St. Anne’s Shrine from Sturbridge MA. will be present with a variety of religious items. American Girl clothing and furniture, one of a kind Christmas ornaments and décor. The country store will be stocked with pickles, jams, flavored vinegars, mixes and other items. Be sure to visit our attic treasures. Delicious homemade baked goods and meals, along with gently used linens, jewelry, a tea cup raffle, and decorated gift baskets for every occasion. Admission is free. St. Luke Church, 141 Maple Street, Ellington. For more information call the rectory at 860-875-8552. Sunday, November 8 Confirmation: Christ the King, Old Lyme
Join Monsignor Robert L. Brown, at 10:30am at Christ the King Church, 1 McCurdy Rd, Old Lyme. Monday, November 9 Healing Mass 2:00pm at Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich. With personal prayer ministry. For more information please call 860 887-0702. Friday, November 13 Young Adult Ministry Presents Chris Padgett St. Patrick’s Cathedral Lower Hall, 7:30 – 9pm. Chris Padgett has been ministering to Catholics around the country for over a decade. Chris has appeared on television and radio and has been a regular speaker and entertainer at Steubenville youth conferences. Using the medium of music and message, Chris communicates the truth of God’s love and forgiveness in a way that makes a difference. Adults ages 18- 39 welcome! $10 per person. For more information please call the office of Faith Events at 860-848-2237. Sunday, November 15 24th Annual Red, White & Blue Mass Saint Patrick Cathedral, 213 Broadway, Norwich, at 10:15am. Thursday, November 19 Holy Hour for Vocations The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, leads the Holy Hour at Notre Dame Church, 272 Main Street, Durham, from 6-7pm. For more information contact Father Greg Galvin, Director of Priestly Vocations at vocations@norwichdiocese.net or 860887-9294. www.God-Calls.com. Saturday, November 21 45th Annual Sleigh Bells Ring Christmas Fair St. Maurice Church will hold its annual Christmas Fair on Saturday, from 9-3pm at 32 Hebron Road, Bolton. Homemade gifts such as Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, unique hostess gifts, handcrafted ornaments, fresh evergreen baskets, American Girl doll clothes, hand-knit sweaters and scarves, a quilt raffle, Christmas tree skirts and homemade
apple pies and holiday baked goods! Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there too. Start your Christmas shopping early and stay for lunch! Homemade clam chowder, baked potatoes and chili are just a few items on the menu along with hot chocolate and spicy mulled cider! Over 40 talented crafters will be on the premises. Handicapped accessible. Saturday, November 21 Beatitudes, Pathways to the Kingdom 9-3pm Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Parish Hall, 63 Old Norwich Road, Quaker Hill. Featuring guest speaker Thomas Smith. For more information, contact Duane Hartley at 848-2237. Saturday, November 21 St. Peter Church Country Christmas Fair Doors open at 9am. The fair features unique crafts and gifts, Christmas decorations, including wreaths, trees, snow villages and ornaments. The fair also offers “The Attic” selling collectibles, antiques, and furniture for your home. Don’t miss our bake sale; it is the best in the Connecticut River Valley with the most reasonable prices - you can’t beat it! Santa will arrive at noon. Enjoy lunch in our holiday cafe that includes our traditional kielbasa and sauerkraut, hot dogs, quiche and a variety of soups. Our auction begins at 6:30pm. with our big raffle tickets drawn at 6:45pm. The auction will offer items from antiques to apple pie. Grinders and beverages will be available for purchase during the auction. For more information, contact Vicki Bogdan at 860- 345-3132 or Michael Farina at 860-345-4080. Sunday, November 22 Confirmation: St. Mary, Middletown Join Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich at 10:30am at St. Mary, Middletown. Thursday, November 26 Thanksgiving Day Sunday, November 29 First Sunday of Advent
Saturday, November 7
Outreach to Haiti 30th Anniversary Celebration Outreach to Haiti is celebrating its 30th anniversary this fall. Festivities will include Mass at 4pm celebrated by Bishop Cote, a reception, dinner, silent auction, and an award program. Honorees are: Most Reverend Daniel P. Reilly, Bishop Emeritus, Worcester, MA, Monsignor James Carini, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Petruzzi. Held at Mercy High School, Middletown. For more information or to purchase tickets please call Outreach to Haiti office 860-887-1019.
“When we get up there (to Heaven) on the Last day, and Look back on our (few) years here on earth (compared to eternity), then we will see that NO SACRIFICE (or suffering) was too great (here on earth), in comparison to what God has awaiting for us to be enjoyed (Eternal Happiness) for ALL ETERNITY!” Romans 8:18
Prayer, Praise and Worship Every Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich CT PILGRIMAGE TO Fatima, Lourdes, etc. Oct 6th – October 16th 2015 Seven Week Life in the Spirit Seminar To help you develop or deepen a “Personal Relationship with Jesus.” Offered twice daily from Wednesday, October 21st to Wednesday December 2nd, from 2PM-4PM and again at 7PM – 9PM each day. Spiritual Renewal Center, Norwich. Circle of Love Prayer Group Mass Thursday, October 22nd 2015 Saint John Chapel Middletown, CT 7:00 PM Unbound Conference – Freedom in Jesus Saturday, November 7th, 2015 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich CT Must call to register – Limited Attendance Fr. Ray Introvigne, Mrs. Judith Hughes and Team Healing Masses, Monday, October 26th & November 9th at 2:00 PM Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich, CT with personal prayer ministry. “Everyone’s welcomed to these programs!
spiritual renewal services Diocese of Norwich
Dial-A-Prayer (860) 887-7767
P.O. Box 6 • 11 Bath Street Norwich, CT 06360 • (860) 887-0702 email: Renewal@catholicweb.com
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Twenty-Fifth Annual Blue Mass Celebrated at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Norwich Norwich - The Reverend Jonathan Ficara, Parochial Vicar and campus minister of St. By Brian Hallenbeck Reprint from The Day
Thomas Aquinas Church in Storrs, spends much of his time with UConn students, some of whom wondered about his connection to law enforcement. Why, they wanted to know, had the “the baby priest” — the 29year-old Ficara was ordained only last year — been asked to deliver the homily at the Diocese of Norwich’s 25th annual Blue Mass? Celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Patrick, the Mass calls for St. Michael the Archangel to protect police officers and their families. “I told them about my father, Santo, for 37 years an officer in Manchester, and my sister, Jessica, a police officer in Wethersfield,” Ficara said. “They said, ‘Oh, you know what it’s like.’ “ Indeed, in his youth, “ridealongs with dad were big,” Ficara said, though he never liked them as much as his two brothers and his sister did. “They really enjoyed the (police) work,” he said. “For me, it was more challenging. On days when not much was happening in Manchester, my dad would apologize that it was so slow. I’d think, ‘Thank God.’ “ His father was excited by cir-
cumstances Ficara found terrifying. And in those moments, Ficara said, “I saw him give us himself completely,” policing out of love, entrusting his safety to God. “Let us be mindful of the great sacrifice and love of those who serve,” Ficara said. Santo Ficara, who retired as a sergeant in Manchester, now serves as chief of police for the state Judicial Branch. The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, celebrated Sunday’s Mass, welcoming his predecessor as bishop, the Most Reverend Daniel Reilly, Bishop Emeritus of Worcester, Mass., who revived the Blue Mass tradition at St. Patrick’s in 1991. Reilly’s introduction was greeted by applause. According to a history written by Wilfred Blanchette, retired Groton City police chief, St. Michael the Archangel Church of Pawcatuck, began celebrating a special Mass for Stonington police officers in the 1970s. After several years, the tradition was suspended. On June 5, 1991, a committee of priests from the Norwich diocese gathered in Pawcatuck to plan a Mass for law enforcement officers. The meeting took place on the very day that Russell Bagshaw, a 28-year-old state trooper, was shot to death after interrupting a burglary at a North Windham gun shop. The tragedy prompted the
committee to dedicate its work in planning the Blue Mass to Bagshaw’s memory. Since then, the theme of the Mass has ranged from memorializing the lives and service of fallen officers to honoring the contributions and sacrifice of officers’ spouses and family members. In addition to Bishop Reilly and Blanchette, honorary chairmen of the Mass were retired state police Capt. Eugene Sullivan, retired state police Maj. Richard Wheeler, New London Detective Frank Jarvis, former Middletown Deputy Police Chief Philip Pessina and Trooper First Class Victor Lenda Jr. Norwich Police Chief Louis Fusaro Sr. and Groton Town Police Chief Louis Fusaro Jr. chaired the Blue Mass Committee. The honor guard from the Groton Town Police march down the aisle at the opening of the 25th Annual Diocesan Mass for Law Enforcement Personnel and Their Families at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich Sunday, September 20, 2015. Photo by Sean D. Elliot
24th Annual
Red, White & Blue Mass All Active Duty, Retired & Reserve Personnel, Veterans, Veterans’ Organizations & Auxiliaries of all Faiths are invited to attend.
Sunday, November 15, 2015 at 10:15 am Cathedral of Saint Patrick • 213 Broadway, Norwich, CT
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Four County Catholic October 2015
20th Annual Educators’ Mass: Recognizing Those Who Mold and Shape the Next Generation Norwich - Students aren’t the only ones who prepare for a new school year with great By Shelley Wolf FCC Contributor
anticipation. “I couldn’t wait for summer to end,” said Sister Mary Cabrini, S.C.M.C., who has been teaching science and religion for 30 years at Sacred Heart School in Taftville, where she also serves as the school’s vice principal. “I love teaching, and my love for teaching increases every year. I love helping children to be their best.” Gina Conover, a teacher for 18 years at Norwich Adult Education, is also excited about the start of the new school year. She works off-site at Reliance House, Inc., which serves people with mental illnesses, substance abuse problems, homelessness, and developmental disabilities. Conover will be teaching the core competencies of reading, math, science, and social studies as well as career readiness courses. “I’m excited about the new GED college preparation and career-oriented courses I’ll be teaching this year,” Conover said. Both of these educators drew welcome support and sustenance from the Twentieth Annual Diocesan Mass for Those Dedicated to Education, which was held at the Cathedral of St. Patrick on Sunday, September 13. Each year this special Mass is held to honor teachers and support staff from private, parochial, and public schools.
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The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, was the main Celebrant of the Mass. He welcomed everyone in attendance and thanked the educators for their witness. “As teachers we have an obligation to our students to teach respect and love and to reject hate,” Bishop Cote said. For guidance, the Bishop advised the educators to look to Christ the Teacher and to the Great Teacher, Paul. “What Saint Paul became was all due to God’s grace,” Bishop Cote said, “and the result was gratitude.” This year’s invited homilist was Deacon Peter L. Gill of St. Coleman Church in Middlefield and Notre Dame Church in Durham. He told the story of a teacher who, around the time of Thanksgiving, asked his pupils to draw what they were thankful for. One child drew a picture of a hand,
which the teacher guessed might be the hand of God or the hand of a farmer. “‘It’s your hand, teacher,’ the child said, recalling a time when the teacher took him by the hand and refreshed his spirit, and he never forgot it,” Deacon Gill stressed. “Teachers refresh the spirit of those who come to them in the classroom.” Like Bishop Cote, Deacon Gill also recommended that the educators in attendance look to Jesus as an exemplar. “All work and education reflects the model of the Great Teacher, Jesus Christ,” Deacon Gill said. He noted that in the day’s Gospel readings, Jesus spent quality time in the northeast corner of Palestine with his disciples. “His legacy of all time here is ‘he began to teach them….’” “You do the same,” Deacon Gill
told the educators, “by helping people become the best they can be. But we must all answer that question that hangs in the air: ‘Who do you say that I am?’” “When we follow Christ, it will be hard at times,” Deacon Gill said. “Christ within us calls us to simplicity, calls us to less. But when there’s bad news in the world, he gives us the strength to do something about it. Through dedication and sacrifice, you help to shape the world.” Deacon Gill concluded with a story of a stonecutter who chipped away at a block of stone until he revealed the shape of an
eagle. “You teachers chip away and chip away until a new creation comes forth. The world may be different because you were important in the life of a child,” he said. “Keep chipping away.”
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We Can Help To report inappropriate contact of any kind by a representative of the Diocese of Norwich or for assistance to victims, please call: 1-800-624-7407 Podemos Ayudar Para reportar cualquier contacto inapropiado por un/a representante de la Diócesis de Norwich, o para buscar ayuda para víctimas, favor de llamar: 1-800-624-7407
Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 4-25, 2015 One of the unique characteristics of the Catholic Church is its worldwide unity under the By Sister Elissa Rinere, CP, JCD Office of Worship
leadership of the pope, the Bishop of Rome. This quality of unity is particularly clear right now because of the current Synod of Bishops, which began on October 4th, the
feast of St. Francis of Assisi, and will conclude on Sunday, October 25th. The idea of a synod comes to us from the early centuries of the church, when they were used as a means of communication and collaboration within a certain region or country. They fell into disuse for several centuries, but
&+5,67,$1 025$/,7< ,1 7+( %5($7+ 2) *2' Christian moral life begins with experience of being loved by God. Then, moral decisions are our attempt to respond to that love.
These sessions will shed light on the foundation for moral decisions, development of conscience and Christian moral responsibility.
A two session course presented by Sr. Elissa Rinere, CP, JCD Director of the Office of Worship and the Office of Pastoral Planning rr
Thursday Evening, October 22nd & 29th, 2015 (6:30pm-8:30pm) Cathedral of St. Patrick (Lower Church Hall) 213 Broadway Norwich, CT 06360 Fee: $20.00 (Fee includes book and materials) This same course will be offered again March 3rd & 10th, 2016 at St. Joseph in Willimantic from 10:00am - Noon
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were reinstated by Vatican II. The first Synod of Bish-
ops in the post-Vatican II era was convoked by Pope Paul VI in 1967. Since then, regularly scheduled synods, called “ordinary,” and specially convoked synods, called “extraordinary,” have met to discuss several topics such as Laity, Evangelization, Catechesis, Priesthood, Scripture, Consecrated Life, Eucharist and Marriage and Family. The Synod of Bishops differs from an Ecumenical Council, such as Vatican II, because a council calls for the participation of all the bishops of the world, while only some bishops participate in a Synod. Some Synod participants are chosen by the Pope, and others are named by Episcopal Conferences around the world. The Synod now in progress in Rome is called “ordinary,” but last year, in October 2014, Pope Francis presided over an “extraordinary” Synod. The purpose of the 2014 Synod was to prepare for this current synod. The major topic of discussion for both meetings is “The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and in the Contemporary World.” The Church has a rich tradition of upholding the sacrament of marriage, its permanence and indissolubility. Marriage, the Church teaches, is the fundamental building block of society. In 1981, Pope John Paul II wrote of home and family as the “domestic church,” the smallest unit of the world-wide church in which evangelization, the passing on of faith, takes place through the ministry of parents toward their children. Today, unfortunately, statistics
show that the sacrament of marriage is not as highly valued as it once was. Also, marriage and parenthood are not as strongly linked as they once were. Certainly, the Synod will discuss these issues. According to the working document published following the 2014 Synod, this current Synod is discussing several aspects of marriage and family life, including marriage preparation, the vocation of the family, the family and evangelization and how the Church can be of more assistance to families in times of crisis. The Synod is also considering some specific situations: pastoral care for couples married civilly or not at all; wounded families which includes those couples who are separated, divorced, divorced and remarried and single-parent families. Even the possibility of streamlining the annulment process will be discussed. In addition to fidelity to doctrine, a significant complication in all these discussions is that whatever is decided must be accepted by and applicable to all nations and cultures of the Church. Surely, the Synod participants have their work cut out for them. In December, 2014, following the conclusion of the Extraordinary Synod, Pope Francis entrusted the work of this current Synod to the Holy Family of Nazareth, who, the Pope said, “urge us to rediscover the vocation and mission of the family.” The Prayer to the Holy Family for this intention says, in part: “Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families, too, may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic churches. ... May families never again experience violence, rejection or division; may all who have been scandalized or hurt find ready comfort and healing” (©General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops).
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Four County Catholic October 2015
ACA Grateful to Generous Donors 10. Saint Columba, Columbia 11. Saint Jude, West Willington 12. Saint Bridget, Moodus 13. Saint Mary, Baltic 14. SS Peter & Paul, Norwich 15. Saint Mary, Portland 16. Saint Mary, Willimantic 17. Saint Patrick Cathedral, Norwich 18. Saint Francis, Lebanon
The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, presenting Reverend Brian Converse and ACA Chair, Randy Pelkey, with an appreciation plaque for 2014 parish achievement at the ACA Leadership Meeting. Once again, this year, the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) is thankful for the many kind donors By Mary Ellen Mahoney Major Gifts, Diocese of Norwich Office of Development
who dig down deep into their pockets and give what they can to help t h e ACA
continue its mission to help the many ministries of the Diocese of Norwich. The 2015 ACA titled “Strength through the Holy Spirit” kicked off in March and will run through the end of the year. Over 25 ministries and programs including Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul Place and the Office of Faith Events receive vital support from the ACA. Each gift is guaranteed to have a positive impact; the funds donated to the ACA enable our ministries to assist many of our neighbors meet the struggles of daily life by helping them with their physical, emotional, educational and spiritual needs. Mrs. Angela Arnold, Executive Director, Office of Development, “It never ceases to amaze me how generous the people of our Diocese are when it comes time for the Annual Catholic Appeal. We are truly
blessed to have so many in our Diocese who truly live out Jesus’ call to care for each other.” As of September 1st, 19 parishes have met or exceeded their ACA goal, and in total, all parishes in the Diocese combined have donated $2,891,534.43. This is a staggering number when one considers how many families and indi-
viduals this money will assist. To many people, the help provided by an ACA ministry will be responsible for keeping a family together, feeding their children or giving their teenagers a safe place to experience their faith. Parishioners and priests in each of these 19 parishes have worked very hard to accomplish what they have. Success is dependent upon the entire parish having a team mentality; only together can the goal be achieved. The 19 parishes that have met or exceeded their 2015 ACA goals are: 1. Sacred Heart, Groton 2. Saint Patrick, Mystic 3. St. Philip the Apostle, Ashford 4. Saint Andrew, Colchester 5. Saint Bernard, Rockville 6. Saint Maurice, Bolton 7. Saint Agnes, Niantic 8. Saint Mary, Jewett City 9. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Quaker Hill
19. Saint Patrick, East Hampton Thankfully, many other parishes are very close to meeting their goals. If you have not yet made a donation, it is not too late. While almost 92% of the total Diocesan goal has been met, the ACA continues through the end of the year and donations postmarked by De-
cember 31st will be credited to tax year 2015. No gift is too small; every gift changes a life. More information on giving to the ACA is available at www.norwichdiocesedev elopment.org or by contacting Susan Underhill, Campaign Manager at (860) 886-1928 ext. 11 or dodsu@norwichdiocese.net.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Catholic Charities Golf Tournament: A Driving Success for Those in Need Monaco P.C. Each golfer also received a bag of men’s toiletries donated by UniLever, as well as a By Christine Jackel Development Coordinator
Pictured are (left to right): Ray Lamy, Interim Executive Director; Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich; Christine Jackel, Development Coordinator and Ralph Monaco, Chairman of the New London Advisory Board. It was a picture perfect day on Wednesday, September 16th as 64 golfers came out to the beautiful Fox Hopyard Golf Club in East Haddam for the 10th Annual Catholic Charities Golf Tournament. We are grateful for the ongoing financial support and
generosity of our Platinum Sponsor, ShopRite Stores and the Capano Family. The day began with registration at 10:30 AM with all golfers receiving a plaid blanket donated by our Gold Sponsor, the firm of Conway, Londregan, Sheehan &
sleeve of golf balls donated by the office of Attorney Steven Reck. We are most appreciative of the support of the William W. Backus Hospital and Guinan & Houle LLP ( K a t h y Guinan), this year’s Silver Sponsors, and our Bronze Sponsor, The Ricciardelli
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Family Charitable Fund, as well as a record number of Tee Sponsors. Additionally, we had 41 raffle prizes, all donated by generous supporters of Catholic Charities. At 1:00 PM, after enjoying a BBQ lunch, with golf carts lined up and ready to go, Fox Hopyard
Director of Golf Ron Beck and Bishop Cote greeted the group and the tournament officially began! Our spotters were at the 16th hole all afternoon in anticipation of seeing a hole-in-one, but unfortunately no one won the beautiful red Chevy Impala donated by MJ Sullivan Automotive. The day ended with hors d’oeuvres and a wonderful dinner enjoyed by all. Before the awards were given out, Bishop Cote announced that Ralph Monaco accepted the offer to serve on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors and the Bishop welcomed him to the Board. Ralph has served as Chairman of the New London Advisory Board, helping to coordinate the golf tournament for the past 10 years, and is a partner at Conway, Londregan, Sheehan & Monaco P.C. The Bishop then introduced Ray Lamy, Interim Executive Director of Catholic Charities. Ray is a parishioner of St. Bernard Parish in Rockville and retired after a 33-year finance career with
UTC. Ray recognized and thanked Christine Jackel, Development Coordinator for Catholic Charities, who coordinated the golf tournament, working closely with Ralph Monaco, and members of the New London Advisory Board, Madeline Raddatz, Kristine Raddatz and Roseann & Tom Ward, who worked at and contributed to the event. R a l p h Monaco presented awards to the following teams: 1st Gross to Reverend Kevin Reilly, Thomas Gram, Paul Sartor and Jeff Battison; 2nd Gross to Steve Wills, Kevin Klee, Sheri Wills and Ken Nasshan; 1st Net to John Dreger, Bob Gosselin, Michael Gosselin and Andrew Gosselin and 2nd Net to Mark Ennis, Dave Putnam, Jim Fountain and Dan Rothaupt. Paul Sartor received both the Closest-to-the-Hole and Longest Drive awards. The tournament was a great success! It was a day of fun and networking, but most important was the reason for coming together... to raise funds for Catholic Charities to support our many programs. While final figures are not yet in, it appears Catholic Charities will realize a net contribution of approximately $20,000! A huge “thank you” to all of our volunteers and especially to our sponsors and golfers, who by their participation and generosity, help us to continue our mission to provide social services to those most in need throughout Eastern Connecticut!
Pope Francis @Pontifex • Recent Tweet God loves the lowly. When we live humbly, he takes our small efforts and creates great things.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Golf Tournament Tenth Annual S
Gold: Conway, Londregan, Sheehan & Monaco Attorneys at Law Silver: Kathy Guinan – Guinan & Houle L.L.P The William W. Backus Hospital
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Hole-in-One: M.J. Automotive Corner Longest Drive: Essex Financial Services, Inc.
NORWICH NEW LONDON CLINTON
The Capano Family
Bronze: The Ricciardelli Family Charitable Fund
Closest-to-the-Pin: Waller, Smith & Palmer, P.C. Gift Bags: Unilever Dennis Hammen Ball Sponsor: Attorney Steven M. Reck
Tee Sponsors All Saints - Somers
Church of the Holy Family - Hebron
Sacred Heart – Taftville
St. Edward – Stafford Springs
St. Joseph – North Grosvenordale
St. Patrick – Mystic St. Stephen – Quinebaug
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Horgan Law Offices
St. Agnes – Niantic
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St. Andrew – Colchester
Christ the King – Old Lyme
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St. Bernard – Rockville
St. John – Middletown St. John the Evangelist – Uncasville
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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(From left to right) Monsignor Leszek T. Janik, J.C.L., Vicar General; Very Reverend Ted F. Tumicki, S.T.L., J.C.L, J.V., Reverend Brian J. Romanowski, J.C.L. and the Most Reverend Arthur L. Kennedy, Ph.D., Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston, Homilist.
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The annual Diocese of Norwich Red Mass was celebrated, today, October 4,
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R O B A T E
From the FCC News Desk
on a surprisingly bright and sunny early fall morning after the threat of a hurricane had just passed. It was a gift of a day for this traditional opportunity for the men and women of the judiciary and legal profession to pray together for those involved in the administration of justice. The striking red vestments warn by principal celebrant Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, visiting homilist Most Reverend Arthur L. Kennedy, Ph.D., Auxiliary Bishop, Boston Archdiocese, Monsignor Leszek T. Janik, J.C.L, Vicar General, Diocese of Norwich and all participating clergy signify the presence of the Holy Spirit. Dating back centuries, the Red Mass also derives its name from the red robes of the early judges in Europe. In the United States, the Red
Mass tradition originated in New York City in 1928 at the Church of St. Andrew, and is today celebrated in most dioceses across the Country from Anchorage to Washington D.C., where Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington will host members of the Supreme Court, federal officials, diplomats, professors and students of law. Many of the Masses are held this Sunday coinciding with the opening of the new judicial term. Here in the freshly restored surrounding of the Cathedral of St. Patrick, its stained glass windows receiving some unexpected sunshine, we join with so many dioceses to invoke God’s blessing on those responsible for the administration of justice and public officials responsible for pursuing the common good. As we were all reminded so recently by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, justice and mercy are two core values intertwined in administering the law. Justice and mercy are what has
brought so many together on this day to pause and pray for those who advance justice for all. Bishop Kennedy in his thoughtful homily spoke of how the letter of the law needs to be framed by wisdom, by the guiding light of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps the guardians of law and order follow Jesus in answering the question raised by St. Paul, “What are we to do?” The Holy Spirit sees the challenges we face and will grant us wisdom. In a world in turmoil at the moment, and our Country faced with challenges regarding the interpretation of its laws, the application of the law, the call for refinement of certain laws as we seek justice for all, gathering here today at the Red Mass and seeking the fire of the Holy Spirit’s guidance is a good place to start! Together we pray for all men and women in the legal profession, judiciary, and public life, asking that they be blessed with wisdom and understanding.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Prayer Vigil for the Synod: the Church can light up the darkness of humanity where evangelical holiness is lived out in the most ordinary conditions. There we are formed by the memory of past generations and we put down roots which enable us to go far. The family is a place of discernment, where we learn to recognize God’s plan for our lives and to embrace it with trust. It is a place of gratuitousness. of discreet fraternal presence and solidarity, a place where we learn to step out of ourselves and accept others, to forgive and to be feel forgiven”. “Let us set out once more from Nazareth for a Synod which, more than speaking about the family, can learn from the family, readily acknowledging its dignity, its strength and its value, despite all its problems and difficulties.”
Vatican City, Oct. 3, 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father, during his inauguration of the prayer vigil for the Synod of Bishops, held the evening prior to the opening of the Synod, asked that we pray for the outcome of this very important moment. “Let us pray that the Synod which opens tomorrow will show how the experience of marriage and family is rich and humanly fulfilling. May the Synod acknowledge, esteem, and proclaim all that is beautiful, good and holy about that experience. May it embrace situations of vulnerability and hardship: war, illness, grief, wounded relationships and brokenness, which create distress, resentment and separation. May it remind these families, and every family, that the Gospel is always ‘good news’ which once again enables us to start over.”
The Pope emphasized that “every family is always a light, however faint, amid the darkness of this world. Jesus’ own human experience took shape in the heart of a family, where he lived for thirty years. His family was like any num-
ber of others, living in an obscure village on the outskirts of the Empire”. The Holy Father encouraged the faithful to enter into the mystery of the family in order to be able to understand it. “The family is a place
Pope Francis’ Prayer Intentions for October Universal: That human trafficking, the modern form of slavery, may be eradicated.
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Visit to the United Sta
POPE FR There is Something Magnetic About Pope Francis There is something magnetic about Pope Francis. More than one-million people, not just Catholics, made sacrifices last month just By Kevin Hogan New London Bureau Chief, WFSB, Channel 3
to get a glimpse of the Holy Father in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. So why would Connecticut’s most watched Television News Station assign and expense a reporter and photographer to cover Pope Francis in three major eastern cities? It’s a simple answer. Half of our dedicated audience is Roman Catholic. This reporter is a Roman Catholic who practices his faith and I am dedicated to helping my Church in Old Lyme, Christ The King. I was raised by the Sisters of Mercy in grammar school and OFM Franciscans at Kolbe High School in Bridgeport. The first Pope I ever saw up close and personal was Pope Paul VI in 1971 when I represented my High School during a Beatification ceremony at the Vatican of Franciscan Maximilian Kolbe. Fast forward now to June of this year when I encouraged WFSB to submit an application to the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, for myself and a videographer to cover Pope Francis during his visit to Washington, New York and Philadelphia. We learned two weeks before the Festival of Families began that the
Secret Service and The Vatican approved our application among 24 thousand journalists. One big hurdle overcome. I had already started working the phones with “potential” organizations and individuals that I might be able to interview; Archbishop Leonard Blair,
Behind the scenes at the television station producers were establishing travel plans and broadcast links with CBS News so that during our coverage videographer Jeff Kolan and I would be able to effortlessly edit and front our stories for our viewing audience at home.
Bishop Michael Cote of the Diocese of Norwich and Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Diocese of Bridgeport. I widened the potential circle to seminarians other religious and our Congressional delegation.
Jeff and I packed the Channel 3 News Car around midday Monday September 21st and set our GPS for Washington and the base of operation for the U.S Conference of Bishops at the Marriott Marquis to pick up our cre-
dentials. These lanyard attached tags were our first line of defense through a huge, unprecedented security plan. Seven months of planning of how to protect the leader of the world’s 1.5 billion Catholics seemed to involve every Federal, State and local agency in the District of Columbia, New York and Pennsylvania. No matter what City or venue we attended during our 7 day coverage, security was paramount. My news gut told me to go the the National Shrine on the campus of Catholic University where hundreds were prepping for Wednesday’s Canonization Mass of Junipero Serra, a 17th century Franciscan who founded 9 missions in California. While getting a grasp of the immensity of the security operation and Pope related items being marketed, my eyes zeroed in on a Chevy Tahoe with Connecticut plates that pulled up to the Basilica. I attempted to introduce myself to the three inside, but they already knew me because they’re faithful viewers. Brian and Lisa Baker of Baker Religious Art in Plantsville had arrived with their cargo of 300 plus custom made vestments in which they spent 8 months creating for the Vatican for the Canonization. We also were blessed moments later to catch the DC host for the Something Magnetic About Pope Francis
Continued on page 18
I thank the Lord that I was able to witness the faith of God’s people in this country “May our days we shared together bear fruit that will last, generosity and care for others that will endure. Just as we have received so much from God –gifts freely given us, and not of our own making – so let us freely give to others in return. Dear friends, I embrace all of you in the Lord and I entrust you to the maternal care of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the United States. I will pray for you and your families, and I ask you, please, to pray for me. May God bless you all. God bless America!”
Pope Francis
2015 Four County Catholic October 2015
ates
RANCIS
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September 22-27
My Journey to See the Pope There is so much to say it is hard to know where to start. As the days continue to pass by, I remember significant moments By Laura Howe Diocese of Norwich Pilgrimage to see Pope Francis in Philadelphia
on my journey to see the Pope. Have you ever felt anything so powerful – spirituality, physically and emotionally? Well, I was able to experience all three on Saturday, Sept 26th around 7:15 pm, as I was standing there with so many other anxious Christians, from all walks of life, waiting for this miracle. My legs started to feel like Jello, my heart was racing, my hands were shaking. I felt this spirit over my whole body as the Pope started to come towards us. It kept getting stronger and stronger as the popemobile kept getting closer. My heart, my body and soul were being taken over by something more pow-
erful than anything I have ever felt in my life. Then finally this angel, our Pope, goes by us, and that moment I felt closer to God. I felt a calmness and felt rejuvenated. It was a feeling that my faith had been restored. This is a moment that I will cherish forever. Thinking back now on lasting messages and experiences from the pilgrimage, the overarching message that remains with me is that the Pope made it clear that God has forgiven all of us for our sins and we need to really focus on what is truly important in our life – God and family. I heard Pope Francis say that “Jesus teaches us another way: Go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the Word in body as well as spirit.” I feel this quote from the Pope is telling everyone that we are one, we are God’s child -- to alLeslie Mayes, NBC30 News, interviewing Bishop Cote in Philadelphia on the eve of the World Meeting of Families as local media closely followed the experience of the diocesan pilgrimage to see Pope Francis.
Diocesan Pilgrims departing Norwich for a 4-day Pilgrimage to see Pope Francis in Philidelphia. ways help one another and love one another and always spread the word of the Lord. I believe the Holy Father wants all of us to love our neighbor and love our family. Without family, we are a lost soul. As I was standing in line for 4 hours waiting to go to the Pope’s Mass with our other pilgrims, this beautiful lady from New Jersey who had a ticket to go and sit down for the Main Mass, was nervous that she wasn’t going to get in to see the Mass or the Pope. I
kept telling her that we will get in and you need to leave it in God’s hand. She turned around and with this glow on her face, said, “you’re right and you truly are my angel.” She did get in and was able to see the Pope and the Mass. This was the essence of the experience I brought home from the trip – the feeling that we are all each other’s angels. That we must, as Pope Francis tells us, “take care of one another” truly living our faith, respecting the sacredness of each life and the joy of sharing the blessings and gifts all around us.
The official program for the World Meeting of Families closing Mass celebrated by His Holiness, Pope Francis. Adorning the cover of the program is the portrait appropriately entitled The Holy Family by Neilson Carlin, commissioned for this historic event.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Something Magnetic About Pope Francis Continued from page 16 Holy Father Archbishop Cardinal Donald Wuerl of the Archdiocese of Washington. Throughout the day we had also played phone tag with Monsignor Robert Weiss of St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, CT who had tragically lost 9 children in the December 2012 massacre at the Sandy Hook School. A friend, Monsignor was a participating speaker during the Festival of Families in Philadelphia. We had an opportunity to chat with him about this Historic Papal visit and what it means to him. Today’s television journalists not only produce, write and front stories to air on TV but we also share what we learn and see through social media outlets, Facebook & Twitter. This real-time snapshot of breaking news allows us to show subscribers what they can anticipate on Eyewitness News. Wednesday was Pope Francis first full day in D.C. This 78 year old man was on the go first thing in the morning as 20 thousand greeted him on the lawn of the White House at 9am when he met with President Obama. Guests holding tickets had to pass security gates at 6am, and wait. Following a short parade thru downtown Washington, Pope Francis went to St. Mathews Cathedral to meet with all the Bishops of the U.S. He talked to them for 45 minutes in
Italian. According to Bishop Michael Cote, the Holy Father didn’t give them “marching orders” as much as a call to engage “families” which he referred to as a mini church. While Pope Francis held private audiences, 35 thousand gathered at the National Shrine for a 4pm Canonization Mass. A ticket only event, guests had to pass magnetic airport style sensors, bomb sniffing dogs and an army of federal agents who probed bags and packages that could potentially cause harm. Stupid me, I forgot I had two handy multi-tools that were confiscated from my bag. Oh well. Pope Francis arrived to cheering enthusiastic crowds about a half hour before mass. Jeff and I finished editing out stories and took position on a four story media riser that would give us a privileged perch 300 feet from the Pope. The Canonization Mass was a beautiful experience. The music, the readings and especially incorporating the traditions of the people that St. Serra comforted and taught, was beyond belief. Throughout the Holy Father’s visit in each city I noticed crowds were dressed in their Sunday best. They only wanted to get a glimpse of the Pope and maybe make eye contact. He certainly connected with them. From the Connecticut
born Catholic University students we talked to, to the priests and sisters we talked with, they told us Pope Francis’ simple love for the poor and under-privileged strikes a chord with them. In New York City, while Pope Francis addressed the UN, we checked out the thousands of ticket holders heading to secure a spot in Central Park for the Pope’s parade later that afternoon. We scurried over to Grand Central to catch Dr. Robert and Susan Staab of Old Lyme, members of Christ the King who are also members of the Order of Malta. They had tickets to Friday evenings Mass in Madison Square Garden. We were energized all week. We knew we would have long days and short nights. But the stories we could share hit home to our viewers because everyone felt the same about the love for this Pope. He affected people of all ages and religions, not just Catholics were moved by his message. In Philadelphia, our hotel was on the fringe of the security blockade for downtown Philly. Security had walled off most of downtown Philly with fencing, Jersey barriers and Airport Style electronic access gates. Thankfully, before we left, I had purchased NEW sneakers in anticipation that I would be walking, a
lot. We did. Jeff Kolan sported a FitBit on his left wrist. Each day in DC we averaged 5-6 miles. New York City only logged 3-4 miles, but Philadelphia was our halfmarathon. Before Saturday was over, we walked 13.5 miles, me carrying a heavy gear bag and Jeff a 24 pound TV camera. After watching Pope Francis land in Philly, we got word that the Holy Father’s security entourage would likely pass right near the TV station. We raced down the block and took position moments before National Guard and others moved into position to begin locking down the area which was near St. Peter and Pauls Cathedral where he was going to say Mass. We had hoped to see the Pope’s motorcade incoming from the airport. We did. When several waves of motorcycle riding officers, a fleet of Secret Service SUV’s and flagged tagged police motorcycles starting exiting the highway where we were standing, the excitement was invigorating. Then, the small Fiat carrying Pope Francis appeared. With a clear line of site view, I proudly held up my Channel 3 microphone with its Symbolic “3” flag waving it wildly for Pope Francis to see. Even though he was sitting on the other side of the Fiat, he raised his arm and waved towards us. I captured the moment for eternity on my iPhone 5. Later, after hunting down Michelle, Michael and Lauren
Dickey of Old Lyme at Ben Franklin Parkway and Bishop Cote at his hotel, we also caught up with students from Fairfield Prep and their chaperones. The Jesuits had worked it out to have representatives from all their eastern States’ schools to attend the Festival of Families. They heard Pope Francis’ message. They watched him present an address from the same podium that President Abe Lincoln used to give his Gettysburg address. Thanks to my colleagues at work, we were also able to connect with another “family”, the Hedburgs of Southington. Young 11 year old Andrew Hedburg is a cancer survivor. This 6th grader was hoping to see Pope Francis. I believe one day he will. The Hedburgs had tickets for the Papal Mass Sunday afternoon. But on this Saturday they and the hundreds of thousands of other Pilgrims were getting a glimpse of Pope Francis driving from one location to another. I sat down in our hotel room and quickly wrote about our days experience, weaving the soundbites and visual images Jeff captured, into a compelling story for the 11pm news....and another story for 8am that summed up the weeks historic moments by a final comment by Bishop Michael Cote. Obviously moved by Pope Francis messages, Bishop Cote had told us the Holy Father sees “the family” as the core of the church. We need to solidify “the family”, help families which in turn will help the Church continue the work of Jesus Christ.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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(Back row left to right) Adrian McElwee, Jillian Corbin, Sr. Mary Grace, SCMC, Julie Brousseau, Pamela Krom, Dick Krom, Paula Oberg. (Front row left to right) Edward Stoltz, Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, Lori Rygielski. Photo by Meredith Morrison.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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From Right to Left: Annette Murphy, Janice Pikal, Connie Gillies, Helen Connell all from the Diocese of Norwich CCW, Maribeth Stewart, President-elect of NCCW & Vice President General of the North American WUCWO from the Archdiocese of Hartford, Geri Kogurt, Province Director, Province of Hartford, Judith Pappagallo, President of the Associates of NCCW, Inc. & President of Norwich Diocesan CCW, Laura Pringleton and Harriett Hyde from the Archdiocese of Hartford.
National Council of Catholic Women Celebrates 95th Anniversary The National Council of Catholic Women celebrated its 95th Anniversary at the 2015 AnSubmitted by Judy Pappagallo
nual Convention held in Orlando, Florida, September 9-12. Nine women from the Province of Hartford, including five from the Norwich Diocesan Council of Catholic Women attended. The theme of this year’s convention was “The Voice of Catholic Women: Sowers of Hope.� The keynote speakers at the convention were Florida State Senator and College President, State Senator Anitere Flores. Her topic was “Practicing Our Catholic Faith in the Public Square.� Marybeth Hicks, author, media commentator and marketing director for FAITH Catholic spoke to us on how to “Make a Connection – Five Strategies to Build a Stronger Community of Catholic Women.� “Common Good, Uncommon Excellence� was the topic presented by Dr. Carolyn Woo, President and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS). NCCW works closely with CRS in bringing up
lives and livelihoods and restoring hope for millions of people in over 100 countries. Richard Doerflinger, Associate Director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops spoke on “Fighting Assisted Suicide: The Lives We Save May be Our Own.� Brandon Vogt, author, blogger, content director for Bishop-elect Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Catholic Ministries spoke about how we as Catholics need to share our faith with confidence, calmly and with joy. The world needs the hope of Christ and it is time we bring it. The participants of the convention also had the opportunity to take part in the break-out sessions sponsored by the Spirituality, Leadership and Service Commissions of NCCW. The opening liturgy was celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. The celebrant was the Most Reverend James V. Johnston, NCCW Episcopal Liaison and newly appointed Bishop of Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, the co-celebrant was the
Most Reverend Gregory Parkes, Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, along with the Spiritual Advisors from throughout the United States. At the luncheon for the Associates of NCCW, Inc., Judith Pappagallo, (third from the left) was installed as the new President of the Associates of NCCW. Her new position puts her on the NCCW board and she will attend the January and June NCCW board meetings held in Washington, DC as well as give a report and present the “Grant� check at the NCCW Convention next September to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana. All the dues collected from Associates members goes towards funding projects of NCCW. Through the years, the Associates of NCCW, Inc. has given over $300,000 in grant money to NCCW. Maribeth Stewart (center) of the Archdiocese of Hartford was installed as President-elect of NCCW. Maribeth will serve a two year term as president-elect and then be installed as president of NCCW for a two year term.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Beatitudes Pathways to the Kingdom • Learn how the Beatitudes fit into the larger context of the Story of Salvation, the Gospel of Matthew, and the Sermon on the Mount • Discover why the Beatitudes are called the Pathways to the Kingdom and reveal our deepest identity and mission • Identify the inner logic of the Beatitudes which guide us to spiritual growth and maturity • Explore the wisdom of the Beatitudes for the life of prayer • See why Thomas believes Pope Francis will be remembered as the “Pope of the Beatitudes”
Saturday, November 21, 2015 Registration: 8:30am Seminar: 9:00am - 3:00pm Location: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Hall (downstairs) 63 Old Norwich Road Quaker Hill, CT 06375
St. Thomas More, North Stonington Very Reverend Dennis M. Perkins, Pastor Address: 87 Mystic Road, North Stonington, CT 06359-1514 Phone: 860-535-1601 E-mail: smchurch01@snet.net Mass Times: Sunday Masses: 8:00am & 10:15am (Saturday 5:00pm) Weekday Mass: Wednesday-Friday 9:00am Holy Day Masses: 7:00pm Confessions: Saturday 4:15-4:45pm, anytime by appointment; seasonal schedules listed in bulletin.
For more information, Contact: Duane Hartley, Phone: 860-848-2237 X304 Email: dhartley@norwichdiocese.net
About the Speaker Thomas Smith served as the director of the Denver Catholic Biblical School and the Denver Catechetical School. He is a repeat guest on EWTN and Catholic radio, as well as a sought–after parish mission and conference speaker. Thomas is the co-author with Jeff Cavins of Revelation: The Kingdom Yet to Come Bible Study. He speaks, offers parish missions, and teaches online at gen215.org and with The Great Adventure team.
Registration Form Please indicate number of tickets you are purchasing below. Price
$30 Early Registration by 11/9/15 $35 Registration after 11/9/15
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Make checks payable to Diocese Diocese of of Norwich Norwich and mail to: Of fice of Faith Events Attn: Beatitudes Seminar Address: 199 Broadway | Norwich, CT 06360
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Not the Body but the Spirit is the First Principle of Life The Book of Genesis tells us the wonderful story of creation. The rich images express extremely imBy Brian Daly
portant convictions: that God is the source of all life, and that we are created in God’s own image. We read in the Scripture (Gen. 1:27): God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God’s love does not differentiate between the newly conceived in-
fant still in the mother’s womb and the child or young person, or the adult and the elderly person. God does not distinguish them because he sees an impression of His own image and likeness in each one. There is even something more to it. When we were created in our mother’s womb, at the time of our conception someone else was created for us, that is our Guardian Angel. God gives us His angels to guide us on our journey back to Him. Each man, each woman,
each child, born or unborn, pagan or Christian, baptized or unbaptized, has an Angel all to himself or herself. The Second Vatican Council taught eloquently that the human person is the only creature God has created for himself. Gaudium et Spes, 24. A person, is not a thing, may not be used, and may not be destroyed, not to be sold. To be human is not only to be body, to be human is also to be spirit. St. Thomas Aquinas in his
masterpiece Summa Theologica states: “Although body may be a principle of life, yet it is not the first principle of life. The first principle of life does not belong to a body as such; since, if that were the case, every body would be a living thing.” Therefore, not the body but the spirit is the first principle of life. It is also that spirit that will carry us to eternal life. Thus, the spirit, not the body, is the source of life and that spirit is not human but God given. The life given to us is a pure gift of God to which we have no right whatsoever. In other words, I cannot do whatever I want with my own body; my body does not belong to me; my body is a gift given to me and I am responsible for it. Mihajlo Jhajlov was a Yugoslavian political prisoner. In his book Underground Notes, he wrote that when prisoners had to choose between saving their spirit or their body, those who chose their spirit experienced an infusion of dignity, peace, and strength. Those, on the other hand, who chose their body ended up losing both their body and their spirit. When the Israelites were on the edge of the Promised Land, Moses said to them: “Choose life.” After forty years wandering in the desert, they stood ready to receive the promise made to Abraham hundreds of years before. “Choose life,” said Moses, which meant to obey the law of God and to live as God’s people. God speaks to us through His prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah: Before I formed you in the womb of your mother I knew you, and before your were born I consecrated you. Also, in the Book of Proverbs we read: “In the beginning, before he made the earth, before he hollowed out the deep, before he touched the waters and made them flow, before the mountains were settled into place, the Lord created me.” We all have been existed before we were born. The unborn babies exist before they are born. As St. JPII, the great defender of the unborn, put it: “For God and before
God, every human being is always unique, somebody thought of and chosen from eternity, someone called and identified by his or her own name.” This is why every life is precious and worthwhile in itself - not only to us human beings but also to God. Every person is worth fighting for, regardless of whether he\she is young or old, sick or well, born or unborn. We all were stunned and distressed when we have learned about a series of disturbing videos showing the Planned Parenthood’s involvement in procuring and selling human body parts from aborted babies. The videos, show the physicians casually discussing ways the abortion procedure can be carried out to best preserve body parts requested for sale. Rightly so, years ago, Blessed Mother Teresa, stated: “Peace is not a global issue, it is sheer hypocrisy to even hope for world peace when we, as individuals, wage war upon the most defenseless of God’s creatures, the unborn.’ Only God has dominion over human life, every human life. To stand with God is to stand with life, and thus to stand against whatever destroys life. Once a wise old teacher was speaking to a group of young and eager students. He gave them the assignment to go out by the side of some lonely road and find a small, unnoticed flower. He asked them to study the flower for a long time. He said: “Get a magnifying glass and study the delicate veins in the leaves, and notice the shades of color. Turn the leaf slowly and observe its symmetry. And remember: this flower might have gone unnoticed and unappreciated if you had not found and admired it. When the class returned after carrying out the assignment, the wise old teacher observed: “People too are just like that unnoticed flower. Each person is different, carefully crafted and uniquely created. But so many people go unnoticed and unappreciated.” We own fidelity to those we choose, but also to those we do not choose.
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Defending Religious Liberty Organizations such as church-sponsored universities, hospitals and social services, are facing a fine of $100 per day ($36,500 per year) per employee if they provide health coverage that does not include contraceptives, including abortioncausing drugs, and sterilization. Exorbitant fines like these will surely force a lot of organizations that serve tens of thousands of people to close. If you haven’t done so already, please voice your opposition to the federal health care mandate by calling U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell at 202-205-5445, and your elected representatives. Let them know that the mandate is in violation of our First Amendment right to religious freedom.
“Exercise in Patience”: Priest Builds Lego Replica of Vatican The Reverend Bob Simon spent about 10 months constructing a mini St. Peter’s Basilica out of a half-million Legos The city’s science museum is hosting a blockbuster exhibit of Lego sculptures including a huge By Kathy Matheson, NBC News
display of Holy See treasures. The model of the Vatican that a priest built entirely of Legos is amazing!” said Larry Dubinski, president and CEO of The Franklin Institute, where the plastic brick structure is now on view in downtown Philadelphia. “People are in awe.” The Rev. Bob Simon spent about 10 months constructing a mini St. Peter’s Basilica out of a half-million Legos. His architectural feat includes a Lego pope on a balcony overlooking the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, which itself is made up of about 44,000 Lego pieces resembling cobblestones.st Named Official Pope Francis Portrait Painter A colorful cast of Lego characters populates the piazza, including a nun with a selfie stick and a bespectacled figurine of Simon.
All told, the display measures 14 feet by 6 feet and weighs about 100 pounds. “It was daunting,” said Simon. “It was an exercise in patience, and I was thrilled with the way everything came out.” Simon said he built his first, rather crude, Lego model of the Roman Catholic church’s headquarters when he was in seventh grade. Today, he serves as pastor at St. Catherine of Siena church in Moscow, Pennsylvania, about 100 miles north of Philadelphia. He’s been to the real Vatican five times. To create the model, Simon used an image from a book cover as a guide. The hardest part was crafting the round basilica dome from square bricks, he said. Although he looked for hints by watching YouTube videos, “I hardly understood what I was watching.” “I’m also not really great at math, so I was daunted by that as well,” he said.
Yet he persevered. Using Lego life preservers to replicate the dome’s windows — one of many ways he repurposed various shapes — he delicately built the structure without glue. Denise Brownell, visiting the museum from Phoenix, was duly impressed. “It’s just such a perfect replica of the real thing,” said Brownell. “It’s just awesome.” Simon started the project a year ago in an empty room in his rectory. He finished in time to bring it to BrickFair, a Lego convention held over the summer near Washington, D.C., where it received many accolades. A friend then suggested The Franklin Institute might be interested. Simon’s creation is being displayed alongside “The Art of the Brick,” an exhibit of Lego sculptures, and “Vatican Splendors.” The latter includes art, vestments and religious relics from the Holy See.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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Students from St. Patrick Cathedral School join Bishop Cote to cheer on the riders.
Photos by Meredith Morrison.
Bike Riders Going Strong on “The Hope of the People” Norwich - Almost six years after a massive earthquake left Haiti in ruins, the task of rebuilding it reBy Adam Benson Reprint from The Bulletin
An Education You Can Believe In.
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mains an ongoing international effort. And this week, a small path toward its return to grace cut through six New England states as part of a 339-mile bike ride and fundraiser by the Diocese of Norwich’s Outreach to Haiti ministry that started in Kittery, Maine. “Haiti is a very important ministry for the Diocese of Norwich, and a lot of very good people are committed to this work,” the Most Rev. Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, said Thursday in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he greeted Daniel O’Sullivan, the outreach office’s director of administration and programs, during a stop on the regional journey. “We ended up doing a lot for Haiti, but Haiti has done a lot for us. Haiti teaches us a great deal by the way they live and
(From left to right)Tom Campbell, Outreach Board of Directors member, Dan O’Sullivan Director of Administration & programs of Outreach to Haiti, Jim Hubert. Photo by Meredith Morrison. their faith, and it’s a wonderful partnership.” The diocese has maintained a presence in Haiti since 1985, and the heavily Christian nation saw 62 Catholic churches crumble in the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people.
Officials are hoping to raise $350,000 through a capital campaign to consolidate services at the ministry’s Port-au-Prince headquarters and develop new initiatives such as employment opportunities, computer literacy training and other programs for residents.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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Four County Catholic October 2015
St. Patrick Cathedral School, Norwich 860-889-4174 www.St-patrickschoolnorwich.org
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Sacred Heart School, Taftville 860-887-1757 www.sacredhearttaftville.org Sacred Heart School, Groton 860-445-0611 www.sacredheartgroton.org St. Edward School, Stafford Springs 860-684-2600 www.stedward-stafford.org St. James School, Danielson 860-774-3281 www.stjamesdanielson.com St. John Paul II Regional School, Middletown 860-347-2978 www.jpii.org St. John School, Old Saybrook 860-388-0849 www.saintjohnschoolos.com St. Joseph School, Baltic 860-822-6141 www.stjosephbaltic.org St. Joseph School, North Grosvenordale 860-923-2090 www.schoolofstjoseph.com St. Joseph School, New London 860-442-1720 www.sjsnl.com St. Mary-St. Joseph School, Willimantic 860-423-8479 www.smsjschool.org St. Michael School, Pawcatuck 860-599-1084 www.stmichaelschoolct.com St. Matthew Pre-School, Tolland 860-872-0200 www.stmatthewct.org St. Bernard Pre-School, Rockville 860-875-0753 x113 www.saintbernardchurch.org
Youth Explosion 2015 It was a “Full of Grace” Kind of Day Over five hundred teens and ninety chaperones from thirty-one of our seventy six parishes in our Diocese, and two By Linda Norton Four County Catholic Contributor
Rhode Island parishes, attended our 7th Diocesan Youth Explosion at St. Bernard School in Uncasville on October 4th. This event was sponsored by the Norwich Diocese Office of Faith Events, Diocesan Youth Council, and Liza Roach, our Diocesan Youth Minister. According to Jill Patten, Diocesan Youth Council co-
chair, the goal of the Youth Explosion is “to provide teens with an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ through vibrant music, relevant talks and the sacraments”. A goal joyfully met! The theme, “Full of Grace”, focused on our Blessed Mother, her relationship with Jesus and why it is important for teens to develop a relationship with her. The day was a combination of a teen retreat with dynamic talks, a faith-filled concert, break out sessions, opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Adoration, and Mass celebrated by Bishop Cote. There
was also food to be enjoyed, t-shirts and other faith related items to purchase. Teen participants went home with a rosary for themselves and a booklet to pass along to parents for continued family inspiration and education. Chris Mueller, the keynote speaker from Murrieta CA, provided and three inspirational talks throughout the day: one on “Mary, the Mother of Jesus”, another entitled “Mary, Mother of the Church” and the third was about “Mary, Mother of Us”. (For more info on Chris visit www.chrismuellerministry.com).
To learn more, contact the Diocesan School Office, 860-887-4086, www.norwichdso.org or contact one of the diocesan schools.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
Ready for College, Ready for Life Music was provided by Jon Niven, co-founder of Lift Ministries. Lift has provided music for many retreats and conferences, including Steubenville Catholic Youth Conferences across the country. (For more info on Lift visit www.liftedhigher.com.). Emcees for the day were Travis Moran of St. Joseph Parish in Willimantic and Alex Soucy from St. John Fisher Parish in Marlborough. Teens had opportunities to visit the various vendor tables such as priestly vocations and religious vocations with the Sisters of Charity of our Lady Mother of the Church, the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, Daughters of our Lady of the Garden. Other notable vendors included Birthright, Academy of the Holy Family, St. Bernard School, as well as a music table by the Lift
band and a t-shirt table by Chris Mueller. One of many exciting break-out sessions involved creating and praying a giant glow in the dark inflatable rosary. Another session involved chaperones facilitating discussions on Mary’s “Yes� to God as teens were invited to share their own “Yes� and how that can be lived out on a daily basis in their personal lives. Parishes who have not yet taken advantage of bringing their youth to a Youth Explosion should seriously consider doing so next year. These events can increase faith and motivate teens to get more involved in their parishes in the future. All in all, the consensus was that this year’s Youth Explosion was definitely a “full of Grace� kind of day!
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Did You Know? October 4-10 World Space Week. Read in Job 9:9 and Psalm 147:4 that God put the Big Dipper and Orion in the sky and knows all the stars by name.
October 15 National Cake Decorating Day. King David gave cakes to people to celebrate a victory. Read about it in 2 Samuel 6:17-19. Decorate a cake or cupcakes. Add a cross or heart as a symbol of God’s love. October 31 Knock-knock Jokes Day so while celebrating Hollow’s Eve share jokes. Read about a happy heart in Proverbs 17:22.
Celebrate Life October is respect life month. It’s a time to care for lives of everyone, especially babies, the sick, and senior citizens. The gospels in October look at lots of different people. • The first Sunday of the month Jesus talks about marriage between a man and a woman and how God considers marriage as very special. • The second Sunday of October, Jesus tells people to be like a child if they want to enter heaven. He wants us to always have the wonder and newness of children. • The third week, two brothers ask Jesus about heaven. They are the apostles John and James. Jesus tells them and his other friends that we are to be servants to everyone around us. We are to always care for other people. • The last Sunday of October a blind man asks for help and Jesus healed him and praised his faith. He showed us that he cares about people who need help. Look around and find ways to celebrate life and help others this month. Here are a few ideas: • Thank God for your family and parents. • Give food and baby gifts to a shelter. • Make and serve snacks to friends and family members. • Help a friend with homework or sports. • Rake leaves for an ill or elderly neighbor. • Check out food in your cupboards and see what you can give. • Offer to give up dessert for a week to save the money to buy food for the hungry. • Check out sales to see what your family might be able to buy to give to a food pantry. • Offer to make sandwiches for a homeless ministry.
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in t i h W H y Karen
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October is Fire Safety Month Some fires are fun, like a campfire or one in a fireplace. But, fires can destroy a home or forest and those are not safe of fun. Discover fires in the Bible and decide which ones are good fires. Match the verse with the type of fife: 1. God spoke from a Burning Bush that didn’t spread 2. Tongue of fire rested on disciples’ heads 3. Jesus cooked on a campfire 4. Lake of fire for devil at end of time 5. Fire that tests works/purifies 6. Fire destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah 7. Men thrown into a fiery furnace but they were kept safe a. Revelation 20:10 b. 1 Corinthians 3:13 c. Daniel 3:19-25 d. Acts 2:3 e. Genesis 19:1-28 f. John 21:19 g. Exodus 3:2 Answers: 1g 2d. 3f 4a 5b 6e 7c
October 11 National Unity Day for bully prevention. Read about a small boy stopping a bully in 1 Samuel 1:17-58.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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Deacon Couples Retreat
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October 2630, 2015 Father Andrew Apostoli, CFR
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October 30 November 1, 2015 Father Guy S.
October 1824, 2015 Valerie Weilmunester
St. Edmund’s Medal of Honor Dinner
Day of Recollection
October 16, 2015 Tickets $175.00 per person
October 21, 2015
To Find God In All Things Father Frank Hoffman
11th Step for Men
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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Four County Catholic October 2015
6th Annual
SETON SCHOLARSHIP DINNER Honoring the recipients of the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D. Award for Contributions to Catholic Education in the Diocese of Norwich:
BROTHER LAWRENCE HARVEY, CFX SISTER MARY A. MCCARTHY, RSM MRS. KATHLEEN R. CLANCY
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015 AT 4:00 PM THE RIVERHOUSE AT GOODSPEED STATION 55 BRIDGE ROAD, HADDAM, CT $150 PER PERSON All proceeds to benefit tuition assistance for Catholic Schools. The following sponsorships are available: $5,000 SETON SPONSOR Premium reserved table for 10, full-page program ad $2,500 AQUINAS SPONSOR Reserved table for 10, half-page program ad $1,500 NEWMAN SPONSOR Seating for 4, quarter-page program ad Individual program ads are also available.
For more information, please contact Kathy Gaito at 860-886-1928 or kgaito@norwichdiocese.net.
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Four County Catholic October 2015
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